$50,000 bail for cop on manslaughter charge

POLICE Constable Khemraj Khelawan yesterday hobbled into the Couva Magis-trates’ Court on crutches and was granted $50,000 bail by Magistrate Gloria Jasmath, before whom the officer appeared on a charge of vehicular manslaughter.

PC Khelawan, 30, was charged indic-tably with causing the unlawful death of 68-year-old Ralph Baksh, who was knocked down and killed on March 11. Khelawan, formerly attached to a station in the central division, was arrested on Monday and charged by PC Rukam Jagger-nauth of the Couva Police Station. Khelawan appeared in court dressed in a track pants, a pair of white sneakers and a sports jersey. He hobbled into the court with the aid of a pair of crutches. His right foot was heavily bandaged. Attorney Keith Beckles asked Jasmath to grant his client “reasonable bail,” saying that Khelawan was “incapacitated” as a result of injuries to his leg, head and face, which he sustained during the incident in which the manslaughter charge arose. Beckles further explained that the defendant had to receive 46 stitches to close a wound on his right leg. While the case was being heard in court, some of PC Khel-awan’s relatives stood outside the courthouse and waited. Jasmath eventually granted Khelawan $50,000 bail and adjourned the matter to October 10.